I had a nice hockey drop-in session by myself before the game and i must say Kes did everything i did, so he has a good learning instinct too. Sometimes you have to listen to older people with more life experience.

David Booth, take a look in that side view mirror, you see that player who is about to pass you? His name is Dave Archibald.

I like what I see from this Archibald kid. Good size, grit, skill and hockey sense and CHEAP! Could he be any worse than Booth? Fuck no. That's an impossibility.

I love Gillis and his lawyer speak on the B Mac/Taylor show the other day saying that Booth's contract has no bearing, nor any players contract, has no bearing on the decisions to keep him/them in the line-up. Lying through his teeth. Then why the fuck is he still here? Make like Dale Tallon, recognize his shit value and fucking lose him instead of hoping for a miracle that will not happen. Gillis still has not purged that Players Agent loyalty to their clients. To be a GM ya got to be a cold ass bitch. Waive him, or send him home for the rest of the year so he will not injure himself so you can buy him the fuck out this coming off season. Nonis parked of a similar shite contract in Connolly (waived last year). Ain't no fucking shame in it, cut your losses and move on. Give the job to Archibald.

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

Lancer wrote:Be interesting if any of the ink-stained wretches ask Torts before Monday's game what he's learned about this team and its players after a road trip he described as a getting-to-know-you session.

Any word on what that was for? Looked like Daniel was just celebrating the Kesler goal and Backes mugged him. I don't care that he got a penalty just odd to see a Sedin getting an unsportsmanlike...Sedins getting a little piss and vinegar in their system?

Any word on what that was for? Looked like Daniel was just celebrating the Kesler goal and Backes mugged him. I don't care that he got a penalty just odd to see a Sedin getting an unsportsmanlike...Sedins getting a little piss and vinegar in their system?

Backes is a dooshbag. Barely saw him all game til then. Wonder why he hid behind his team mates rather than dropping them with Tostito? Cuz hes a marshmellow

Watched every game with peaked interest. Stopped into a 2-bit bar in Oliver while driving back to Penticton after working in Osoyoos to watch the first period; I'm feeling rather positive/hopeful with what I'm seeing (like others evidently).

I think the refereeing was a little better last night compared to some of the games in the recent past, though Torts was quite out of sorts about the Kassian penalty. Someone could/should compile a video of all the weird and fucked up calls the Canucks are prone to getting.

In the Blues game last night, aside from the pleasure of seeing Kesler ripping a wrister into the net on Halak's glove side, and Santorelli's consistency, the play of our 4th line (Weber, Archibald, and Pelletier) was a delightful surprise!! They dominated the Blues in the Blues own end a number of times and were a legitimate scoring threat as opposed to being a defensive liability - which some of our fourth lines have been prone to being.

There's really no doubt about it, the Canucks play befits a team that is of play-off contention. If they keep mustering up this same kind of effort and team play, it should make for an entertaining season.

So who was that other coach we were said to be vying for before the season started?? Dallas... loser?

The 3-4 line players are continuing to play over their heads in relief with Santorelli looking like a poor man's Higgins and Richards looking like the latest upgrade of Andrew Ebbett.

Based upon last night, if Archibald could skate he'd be a roster player.

Hank is carrying the team like he did while Daniel had a broken foot and he ended that year with an Art Ross and a Hart Trophy.

I noted before, while many here were inking his name on the top line, Kassian belongs on the third line. He is playing more of a finesse game than a physical game but needs to bring more balance to his game. He has dropped several pounds since arriving in Vancouver to get into NHL game shape. I believe he is still young enough to add some bulk (say 4-5 kilos) in the next couple of years as he develops.

As a fan, watching the game as Torts coaches it is much different than we have gotten used to over the past few years.

Defensively conservative in your own zone. Get used to defenders controlling behind the net and the safe chip off the side boards/glass and out. The stretch pass is a rare bird these days (could be a product of hybird icing with more intended passes being called icing?). Will be interesting to see how well that increased play along the defensive sidewall works against some of the bigger teams.

The advanced stats guys must love the nod to shot blocking. If advanced stats substitutes counting shots (yes they count scoring attempts but that is just shots within and oddly shaped trapezoid), blocking those must be a boon to everybody's Corsi :smile:

The turn 'em loose, high risk/high reward aggressive offence with plenty of one on one battles must be a blast for the players. Gone is AV's doghouse for the over aggressive pinching D. Note Torts praise for Bieksa and forgiveness of Tanev.

Of note is how the defensive cover by the centre and wings for the pinching D has greatly improved since the season began. Appears to be primarily the centre's role. To me this has been one of the steepest learning curves for the players.

It will be a tough season for the goaltenders with the high risk/high reward pinching D as odd man rushes will be an issue. The balance hoped to tip in favour of high reward but I can't help thinking of the Blackhawks feasting on outlets to Sharp or Hossa.

Lack is showing to be the solid Schneider replacement backup he was always being developed to be.

I am quietly impressed with the increasing physical play of Alex Edler. He is delivering some subtle yet punishing hits. The kind that will slowly ache for the rest of the game but put the opponent in the hot tub the next day. the early career comparisons to Ohlund are starting to follow through.

As I noted in my pregame comments, the Canucks would be free to take a can opener to Backes' head.

Topper wrote:It will be a tough season for the goaltenders with the high risk/high reward pinching D as odd man rushes will be an issue. The balance hoped to tip in favour of high reward but I can't help thinking of the Blackhawks feasting on outlets to Sharp or Hossa.

I noticed this big time in the 2 games against the Sharks as they managed to catch the D pinching quite badly on many occasions causing several odd man rushes in each game. I'm hoping once the team learns the system and the centremen adjust as you say so this will be less of an issue. I'm looking forward to November 7th to see how well the Canucks match up with the Sharks after getting through the learning curve of the system.

I recall many of the odd man rushes given up to the Sharks were by beating the dman one on one at the blueline without any help dropping out of the zone in coverage. I see that greatly improved the last few games.

nuckster wrote:There's really no doubt about it, the Canucks play befits a team that is of play-off contention. If they keep mustering up this same kind of effort and team play, it should make for an entertaining season.

A concern is the ice time the top players are getting...will there be late season/playoff fatigue issues?

Not a whole lot to add, but fuck, how can you not be impressed? We should have beaten the Pens, and still ended up 5-1-1 which would be an impressive stretch, never mind the games being within 11 days of each other.

The second of a back-to-back, a shit ton of injuries up front, the rookie back-up getting the start (hey, he wasn’t even drafted, which is like really important, right?) and a well rested Blues team looked like a recipe for disaster. The Canucks would have been forgiven for mailing it in, but instead it was perhaps the most impressive game of the season.

Hank is looking like it is 2010 and has this team on his back.

Lack with another solid game, and after three solid outings there is no doubt he is ready for the NHL. I’m sure he’d like to have the Sobotka goal back, but overall a great performance. Lack now has more wins than Schneider does.  I’m not seeing the big drop off when we switch between goaltenders as many predicted. In three years, a 37 year old Luongo might not be such a problem after all.

Kassian is still looking better. Playing him on the 3rd line is the right call. The charging penalty on him last night was horseshit. He’s making a lot of good plays, but he really needs to work on his shot. He seems to get called for a lot of penalties when he is physical (reputation?), which may explain why he seems to have toned that down a bit.

I’m assuming Backes was mad because he thought Dank dove on the OT penalty call?

Beauty play by Sestito when he took out Oshie and stole the puck away at the Blues blue line.

Kesler now on pace for 44 goals…don’t you love small sample sizes?

So, two of our four regulation losses are against the Sharks. Hopefully we are healthy and playing well when we meet them again on the 7th.

Loving the post game scrum head band tradition that seems to be getting started!

Backes went after Dank because he thought Dank hooked him behind the net. As the play unfolded the Blues got the puck behind their net and they had a clear chance to clear it around the boards and out. One little problem, Dank. He checked, or hooked if you are a Blue, the player who I think was Backes but may be wrong on that. And thus began the play that ended in the Kesler OT winner.

Add to that that the Blues felt Dank went down easily to get the penalty in the first place and now you have, well, Backes being a poor loser.

Shit like that at the end of he game should cost players like Backes and Jackman a game misconduct. They do add up over the course of the season.

The blues did not find their legs until the third, common for teams after long lay offs. We have seen it with the Canucks too in the past. Lack held us in in the third and our team played to keep the point and get it to OT. I have no problem with how we played the third given all. But Lack deserves a ton of credit for this win.

Well its been an interesting 12 games.. and the Canucks are playing far better than I anticipated.. ( yeah hand the crow over ) Most interesting games were the Pittsburgh and St Louis games.. Both good tests and we PASSED both ending regular time in a tie.. and both entertaining and quite different . Torts coaching makes for entertaining hockey

Has anyone got an internet feed for games? I am on the way to Thailand Tuesday.. if no feed its radio hockey for me ..